Can-labeling machine



A. s. BOIFE U ILL ET. CAN LABELING MACHINE.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

No. 506,095. Patented Oct-.3, 1893.-

WITNESSES:

hay/4 A TTOHNEYS.

3 Sheets8heet 2. A. S. BOIFEUILLET. CAN LABELING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

Patented. Oct. 3,1893.

INVENTOH WITNESSES: 66% 0 gm uw g A TTOHNE Y8.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A SJBOIFE UI LLE'T.

CAN LABELING MACHINE. No. 506,095. I Patented Oct. 3,1893.

PAT NT ADRIAN S. BOIFEUILLET, OF BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA.

CAN-LABELING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part-of Letters Patent No. 506,095, dated October 3, 1893.

Application filed October 10, 1892. Serial No. 448.398. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADRIAN S. BOIFEUILLET, of Brunswick, in the county of Glynn and State of Georgia, have invented a new and Improved Labeling-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of machines which are adapted to automatically paste and apply labels to cans and bottles of various kinds.

The object of my invention is to produce a comparatively simple machine by which the labels may be automatically and very nicely and rapidly applied to any cylindrical body, or nearly cylindrical body, such as a can or bottle.

To this end my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a broken side elevation of the.

machine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a broken sectional side elevation taken from the opposite side to that shown in Fig.1, and showing in detail the mechanism for feeding the labels. Fig. 3 is a sectional end view on the line 33 in Fig. 1. Fig. lis a detail section of one side of the frame, showing the outward bend in the frame which is adapted to receive the necks of bottles. Fig. 5 is a broken plan of the feed chute showing the adjustable guard rail thereon; and Figs. 6 and 7 are a side elevation and face View of the cams which actuate the feed and pasting rollers.

The machine has a two-part frame, the lower portion 10 resting upon suitable feet 11 and the upper part 12 being adjusted vertically in relation to the lower part, this upper part having depending side arms 13 which straddle the lower section. 10, and the arms are held to the lowersection of the frame by bolts 14. which project through vertical slots 15 in the arms. This enables the upper portion of the frame to be raised and fastened in the necessary position. The articles to be labeled are passed through the frame, and as a portion of the feeding and pasting mechanism is carried by the upper portion of theframe, this arrangement just described is necessary to enable the machine to be adjusted to differeut sizes of articles.

One arm 13 on each side of the machine is provided with a rack 16 which meshes with a pinion 17 on a cross shaft 18, this shaft having at one end a crank 19, see Fig. 2, and by turning. the shaft after loosening the bolts 14, the upper portion of the frame may be easily and nicely adjusted.

At one end of the machine. is a feed chute 20 which extends centrally into and through the mainframe, as shown best in Fig. 2, and this chute hasa suitable floor 21, a fixed guard rail 22 on one side, and an adj ustable guard rail 23 on vthe other. The guard rail 23 is 'parallel'with the rail 22 and maybe adjusted out and in. in relation to the rail 22, as best shown in Fig. 5.

The floor 21 is provided with lateral slots 25 and the adjustable rail is fastened to the floor by bolts 2i which extend through the rail and through the slots. The upper section 12 of the frame has one side bent outward opposite the chute, as shown at 25 in Fig. 4., so that when bottles are rolled through the chute their necks may protrude into the So I bend of the frame and their bodies will be held in the proper position to have the paste and labels applied to them. Above the chute and carried by the upper portion of the frame are parallel rollers 26, 27 and 28, which are, arranged in a triangular position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the roller 28 being placed centrally above the rollers 26 and 27, so as to contact with each of them, but the rollers 26 and 27 do not contact with each other. These rollers are journaled in bell cranks 29, which at their forward ends, are j ournaled to shafts 30, and the latter are supported in the upper portion 12 of the main frame. The rollers are adapted to distribute paste and apply it to the articles to be labeled, and to facilitate the distribution of paste and to enable it to be applied in creases the rollers 26 and 27 are provided with grooves 26, see Fig. 3, in

which the paste accumulates. The faces of these rollers are preferably of rubber, so that they may have a yielding contact with the' cans or other articles to be labeled. The

shafts of the several rollers are geared together by means of gear wheels 31, 32 and 33, see Fig. 1, and the latter gear wheel connects by means of intermediate gear wheels or idlers 34 and 35 with a gear wheel 36 on the main driving shaft 37, this shaft being journaled in the lower portion of the frame and having upon it a suitable driving pulley 38."

Above the roller 27 and in contact with it, is a roller 38 which has a shaft 39 journaled in the frame, and this shaft connects by a gear Wheel 40 with the gear wheel 33, so that it will be turned in unison with the other rollers. It will be understood, however, that other gear mechanism may be employed for turning any or all of the rollers. The paste roller 38 turns beneath an outlet 41 in the paste fountain 42, which fountain is secured in the top of the upper section 12 of the machine frame, and at one side of this outlet is a flexible blade 43 which may be made to touch the roller 38 or may be permitted to spring out from the roller and the supply of paste may thus be regulated. The adjustment of the blade is obtained by means of the screws 44 which are held to turn in threaded hangers 45 which depend from the front side of the fountain 42.

The ends 46 of the roller 26 project well outward from the side of the machine, and to these are secured depending pitmen 47 which, at their lower ends, are secured to swinging levers 48, and by the movements of the levers and pitmen the several rollers 26, 27 and 28 are adjusted so as to regulate the feed of the machine and the proper applying of paste to the cans or other articles to be labeled. The

. lower ends of the pitmen are slotted, as shown at 50, and bolts 51 extend through the slots and connect with the lever 48. By this means the pitmen and levers may be adjusted so that the levers shall have just the desired amount of throw. The levers 48 are arranged on opposite sides of the machine and are f ulcru med near the center, as shown at 49. The front ends of the levers carry anti-friction rollers 52 which engage cams 53 on a cross shaft 54 which is journaled in the lower portion of the machine frame. The cams are timed to tilt the levers and actuate the pitmen and rollers at the proper moment, as hereinafter described. The shaft 54 has at one end a gear wheel 55 which engages the gear wheel 36 on the driving shaft, and movement is thus imparted to the cross shaft 54.

Beneath the upper rollers 26, 27 and 28 is a break 21 in the chute 20, and a roller 56 is held to turn and to move vertically in this break,the shafls or trunnions 57 of the roller being held to move in slots 58 in the machine frame. To the trunnions of the roller are secured pitmen 59 which, at their lower ends, are connected with swinging levers 60, these levers being fulcrumed near the center, as shown at 61, and having end rollers 62 which engage cams 63, these being produced at the 65 adapted to carry the labels 66.

sides of the cams 53 and on the shaft 54, the cams 53 and 63 arranged so as to move the levers 48 and at nearly the same time for the purpose described below.

The upper and lower rollers are adapted to apply paste to the cans or other articles which roll downward with the machine in the chute 20, and at the lower end of the chute is a box 64 which contains a vertically movable floor The floor is automatically fed upward by mechanism described below, so as to keep the upper label flush with the top of the box, and the pasted can or other article which rolls over the label will thus pick it up and cause it to be stuck to the article. At opposite sides of the box near the top and in the path of the article to be pasted are projections 67 and 67 which serve as guides and between which the labels are held. An extension 10 of the main frame extends rearward behind the box 64, and this extension has an inclined plane 68 which has a cushioned top 68 and which forms practically an extension of the chute 20.

The floor of the label box is fed upward by screws 69 which are secured to its under side and are arranged in a vertical position, these screws being geared together by the gear wheels 70 so that both will move together in unison and in the same direction. The screws are held to turn loosely in bearings 71 and the gear wheels 70 are threaded to fit the screws so that the wheels act as nuts, and when they are revolved the screws will move longitudinallythrough them,theweightabove holding the gear wheels down upon the bearings 71. One of the gear wheels 70 has a beveled pinion 72 secured to it, and this pinion engages a similar pinion 73 which is secured to a transverse shaft 74 journaled in one side of the frame, and the shaft 74 connects by gear wheels 75 and 76 with a shaft 77, seeFig. 3, the shaft being parallel with the shaft 74 but higher up and on the outer side of the frame, and the shaft 77 connects by means of a pinion 78 with a pinion 79 on the shaft 80. The shaft 80 is held on the outer side of the frame and turns in suitable hangers 81, the shaft extending at right angles to the shaft 77. At one end of the shaft 80 is a beveled pinion 82 meshing with a pinion 83 on the cross shaft 54, see Fig. 1, and from this shaft the shaft 80 receives its motion. The pinion 79 is splined to the shaft 80 in the usual way so as to turn therewith and slide longitudinally thereon, and connected with the hub of the pinion 79 is a crank 84 which is secured to a shaft 85, and the latter is held in suitable boxes and extends transversely across the under side of the machine, the shaft having at one end a lever 86 by which it may be turned. It will be seen then that by actuating the lever 86 the shaft 85 and crank 84 may be operated so as to throw the pinion 79 in or out of gear and the label feed may thus be controlled.

It will be understood that other suitable Above the label box and the cushion 68 is an endless belt 88 which, at its rear and lower end turns over a pulley 89 which is journaled in spring boxes 90 in hangers 91, these-being attached to the extension of the main frame. The forward and upper end of the belt is carried by a pulley 92 which is secured to a shaft 92*, and the latter is journaled in the rear ends of parallel levers 93 which are fulcrumed near the center, as shown at 94, on opposite sides ;of the machine frame. The rear ends of these levers are rounded, as shown at 95, and extend into the path of cams 96 which are carried by the shaft 30. .It will be seen then that when the. latter shaft is revolved the cams 96 will,- at each, revolution, tilt the levers 93 so as to raise and lower the pulley 92 and the belt 88. Theobject of this arrangement is to cause the belt 88 to assist in rolling the articles to be labeled across the labels 66 and upon the cushion 68, so as to properly apply the label and firmly press it to place. on and this connects by a belt 98 with a pulley 99 on the driving shaft 37.

The operation of the machine is. as follows:--The chute 20 is adjusted so that the articles to be labeled will roll through it, and the said articles are delivered in the chute so as to roll one after the other downwardupon The firstthe chute and through the frame. can, or other article in the chute, rolls downward until it reachesthe roller 56 which is drawn. downward by the pitmen 59 and levers 60 so that the article to be labeled rests upon the roller and against the portion of the chute floor at the lower end of the break 21.

The upper :portion of the articlewill restand 27 causing the object to be turned be tween them, and a coat of paste is evenly applied to it, the paste being supplied from the fountain 42 through the medium of the rollers 38 and 28. At this point the roller 26 rises and releases the article to be labeled, which rolls onward and downward through the chute 20 and upon the labels, passing over the projection 67 and upon the labels '66, the article being slightly retarded by the projection 67 a at which point the label will be Wrapped entirely around it. At this moment the pulley 92 is droppedby the tilting of the levers 93, and the belt 88 presses upon the article and by friction, rolls it over the lower projection 67 a and upon the cushion 68; the article will ,then be rolled onward and downward becams 96 tilt the levers 93, so as to raise the The shaft 92 has a pulley 97 there pulley 92 and belt ,88 and the belt is in posi-" tion to descend upon the next can or article to be labeled.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the actions of the machine arepurely automatic and that means is provided for rapidly and nicely pasting the labels to cans, bottles, or other articles. Y

Having thus described my invention, 1' claim as new and desire to secure by Letters.

Patent- 1. A labeling machine comprising an inclined chute, a revoluble and vertically movable tripping roller arranged in the floor o'f 'the'chute, a series of pasting rollers arranged above the chute, means for supplying paste to the upperrollers, an open topped label box arranged at the lower end of the chute, anda feed mechanism for raising the floor of the box so as to keep the top label flush with the box top, substantially as described.

2. A labeling machine, comprising an inclined chute, a vertically movable and revo luble tripping roller arrangedin the floor 0f the chute, aplurality of paste distributing rollers arranged above the tripping roller and chute, a lever mechanism for automatically raising and lowering the upper rollers, a-paste fountain held above the upper rollers and" adapted to deliver paste upon them, a label box arranged at the lower end of the chute and in the path of the articles to be labeled, and a belt mechanism for rolling the articles out of the box, substantially as described.

3. A labeling machine, comprising a frame having its upper part adjustable in relation to its lower portion,'an inclined chute extending through the frame, avertically movable and revolubletripping roller arranged in the floor of the chute, pasting rollers carried by the upper portion of the frame and held'above' paste fountain arranged to deliver upon thepaste rollers, a cam and lever mechanism for moving the several rollers vertically,'a label holding device arranged at the lower end of the chute, a cushioned inclined plane behind the label holding device, and an endless belt held above the holding device and the cushioned plane so as to roll the articles between itself and the plane, substantially as described.

5. A labeling machine, comprising a two part frameflthe upper part being movable vertically in relation to the lower part, a rack and gear mechanism for adjusting the top' Ioo 'ISO

portion of the frame, an inclined chute extending centrally through the frame, a revoluble and vertically movable tripping roller held in the floor of the chute, a triangular series of rollers arranged above the chute and journaled in oscillatingbell crank levers, a cam and lever mechanism for oscillating the bell cranks, a paste fountain held to deliver upon the upper rollers, and a label holding device arranged at the lower end of the chute and in the path of the articles to be labeled, substantially as described.

6. A labeling machine, comprising an inclined chute, a revoluble and vertically adj ustable tripping roller arranged in the floor of the chute, a triangular series of pasting rollers arranged above the chute and above the tripping roller, said rollers being jour' naled in bell cranks, pitmen connected with the bell cranks and extending downward therefrom, oscillating levers connected with the pitmen and with revoluble cams, pitmen extending downward from the tripping roller, oscillating cam-actuated levers connected with the lower ends of the tripping roller pitmen, and a label holding device arranged at the lower end of the chute, substantially as described.

7. in a labeling machine, the combination of the inclined plane, the pasting mechanism carried above the plane, the vertically movable label-carrying floor arranged to receive the cams which roll from the plane, the projections near opposite sides of the floor, the movable belt held to travel over the floor, and a lever and cam mechanism for moving one end of the belt vertically, substantially as described.

ADRIAN S. BOIFEUILLEI. Witnesses:

W. A. SMITH, J. L. HARRIS. 

